Mangaluru: The state finance department has given its approval for the construction of a 300-bed hospital in Puttur through the medical education department, said MLA Ashok Kumar Rai.He told reporters on Monday that an official communication regarding the approval from the finance department was issued on Nov 27. A detailed project report (DPR) for the hospital, to be built as part of the establishment of a medical college, will be ready within 45 days. The tender process for the construction of the 300-bed hospital in Puttur will be completed within two months. Later, chief minister Siddaramaiah will lay the foundation for the project. The MLA added that setting up a medical college in Puttur has been a historical decision by the Congress govt in Karnataka.“An estimate of Rs 1,000 crore has been allocated in the budget for the medical college in Puttur. We have requested the govt that the project be implemented in Bannur. Further, we demanded that the work on the hospital building be taken up through the medical education department, so the process of establishing a medical college will be made easy. Necessary specifications, including setting up of labs, operation theatres, and other facilities, need to be developed as per the guidelines of the Medical Council of India,” he said.Stating that many leaders from the opposition parties were apprehensive about the govt establishing a medical college in Puttur, the MLA said the govt has fulfilled its promise by approving the proposal. “The opposition parties could not take initiatives to establish a medical college in Puttur. Let them stop mocking and criticising now as the proposal is now official. Chief minister Siddaramaiah has kept his word,” he added.
